By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Parents and students filled the auditorium at Brandywine Middle-High School during Monday's school board meeting.
But, they weren't necessarily there to listen to school board business.
Chris Banaszak, middle school-high school principal, had the pleasure of handing out a recognition to dozens of high school students who have kept their GPA at 3.5 or above over 1, 2 and 3 years.
After the recognition, however, the school board got back to regular business.
Gary Campbell, interim superintendent, said current estimates show the state's school aid fund is $350 million short.
That has led State Governor Jennifer Granholm to announce plans of reducing the fund with $196 per pupil in order to balance the state budget, which she is required to do by law.
The school aid fund is currently at $6,700 per student.
The proposed cut would mean a loss of $300,000 for Brandywine Public Schools, Campbell said.
Campbell, however, said he attended a recent legislative breakfast where State Sen. Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks, told educators legislators are "seriously" looking at measures that would minimize losses related to a reduction in the school aid fund.
The $300,000 figure presented at Monday's meeting is a couple hundred thousand less than what Campbell announced earlier this year when it first became known school districts would likely have to brace themselves for budget cuts.
Legislators have 30 days from the day Granholm announced the proposed cuts to make cuts elsewhere.
In other school board reports:
The tax collection resolution was needed for the school district to be able to collect tax from area townships next summer. The resolution will affect residents of Milton, Bertrand and Niles townships. The snow plowing contract was awarded to Kachur Tree Service.